Tijuana Travel Forum

What are the latest passport requirements when crossing the border back into the US by land? I am a Canadian citizen residing in the US on a green card. Unfortunately my Canadian passport has expired and it takes months for them to renew it, just like in the US. Will I be able to come back to the US just with my green card and my California drivers license? Am I running any risks? Is there any one crossing point where they are more relaxed on the rules?

I would greatly appreciate any information you might have!
Thanks,
Christine

If I were in your position I would not take any risks - I would try to get the information from the horse's mouth and come clean with the US Immigration authorities.

Ranger, I tried the "horse's mouth" :) but wasn't successful in getting any firm information... They told me that if I were a US citizen I wouldn't need the passport, and they referred me to their website travel.state.gov which doesn't provide any additional info either regarding green card holders. Uhhh...

Christine - uhhhh!

What to do next? I have had two horrendous experiences as a British citizen getting into the US to visit relatives . The first - pre 9/11--entering from Canada at Niagara when I was held for two hours trying to explain why my multi-entry visa was in my recently expired Pasport which I carried with me - according to US instructions - along with my new passport.

They did not know their own rules!

Feb 2003 at LAX was a different story I thought the female Gestapo style Commandant, who almost undressed me in public, was about to set her dog on me!

Not a pleasant experience for a then 66 year old grandmother.

Your Green Card should be some kind of insurance but I really don't know - we hear of friends and acquaintances with all the correct documentation being subjected to the third degree!

a green card and driver's license USE to be good enough but i don't know anymore. call ins,i know, you'll sit on hold a LONG time, but that's the best way to know and get the id# of whoever gives you the information.

green card is all you need, no driving license or passport yet
you will need a passport when crossing by land starting 2008

Many thanks to everybody who responded! I am really torn between the hope that the GC is all I need, as El Mexicano assures me, and my concern that what if I’m less lucky than others and I come across some extra vigilant officer who will require additional documentation.

I know the rules tend to be a little more relaxed when crossing by land though, at least in Tijuana. I, too, have heard of some horror stories at the Canadian border crossing – sorry Ranger you had to experience that! And even your twist on the Gestapo officer story sounds funny in retrospect, I’m sure it wasn’t a pleasant one back then.

As far as it has been published, Canadian Citizens only need drivers license to cross until Jan 2008. But if you have California licence and green card, you should be OK as well. I live just a few feet from the Quebec-Vermont Border and it really is too bad I didn't know your question as this evening I was talking with a Border Patrol Agent in his car as I walked along the Border road. They are here all the time and I walk at least twice a day. Write me at my VTMAIL internal address and I will try to ask in the next day or 2 and reply to your letter.

Passport is need only if you are flying. Green Card, dirivers license and even your expired Canadian passport will be excellent for identification purposes.

All of my experience has been at the USA/Mexico borders at San Ysidro and Otay Mesa entry points.

The passport requirements MAY take effect in 2008, it keeps changing. At present, your Resident Alien card will allow you back into the USA, as long as the conditions of the card include multiple entry.

Using your California driver's license as ID--because there is no indication on the license that you are anything other than a US citizen--may be construed as an attempt to imply US citizenship and can cause you much bigger problems.

I believe that using an expired passport, from any country, even the USA, is the same as having no ID as it is NOT VALID.

In general these border officers can be arbitrary as to how they read a situation so, behave politely through the questioning and you should have no problem.

A expired Passport can still be used to show identity. A Canadian passport shows, the persons picture, date of birth, place of birth, and nationality, while it can not be used in place of a valid passport, it can and does prove identity and is accepted for identification purposes only.

I'm not saying that an expired passport can not ever be used as a form of ID, just that in the USA, any expired form of ID is not considered valid and can be refused as a form of legal identity, especially so, to enter into the USA from another country. The "Resident Alien" card(Green Card)that allows multiple entry and that is still valied is a better ID to use than an expired passport.

It would be wrong to let Christine think that using her expired passport would be okay when any Customs Agent could and probably would, reject it.

Also, I as an American citizen can use my California drivers license as a form of ID and it will work, but if she relies on it and implies that she is a US citizen she can be refused entry, detained and possibly lose her Resident Alien status.

http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/travel/id_visa/visitors_us/req_canada_mexico.xml

http://www.cbp.gov/xp/CustomsToday/2005/May_June/passport.xml

From the TIM:



/ 18AUG07 / 1700 UTC
National CANADA (CA) /Residence U.S.A. (US)
Embarkation MEXICO (MX) /Destination U.S.A. (US)

U.S.A. (US)

Passport required; or
- if stay outside U.S.A. was more than 1 year: re-entry
permit issued by U.S. authorities viz. Permit to Re-enter
the United States" required. The document has the same size
as the U.S. passport; or
- if stay outside U.S.A. was less than 1 year and coming
from the Western Hemisphere (see For details, click here ) :
Permanent Resident/Resident Alien Card (Form I-551).

Visa not required, provided holding:
1.- Valid Permanent Resident/Resident Alien Card (Form I-551),
provided stay outside U.S.A. has not exceeded 1 year (to
be determined by Immigration Inspector upon arrival);

Excellent links, thank you, nhoolb!

Also, thank you lmklugue for the tip about not showing the driver's license only, I didn't realize it could be interpreted as trying to pass as a citizen. Ouch!

Unfortunately showing my Canadian passport, even expired, is out of the question, as I sent it back to Canada for renewal.

Thank you all for your thoughts and info!

My pleasure. Enjoy and good luck!

>>>Also, thank you lmklugue for the tip about not showing the driver's license only, I didn't realize it could be interpreted as trying to pass as a citizen. Ouch!

You are welcome. It happened to someone I know and caused big problems with their status in the USA.

The main thing is that your Resident Alien card is issued by the US Government and shows your right to return to the USA, so should be all you need at present. Unless of course, however unlikely, there is some sort of restriction coded on the card that you are not allowed multiple entry.